The Cicada

Quite amazing insects, these Cicadas!  

We often hear them singing away almost throughout the day in the rainforests, forest fringes, parks and where there are some greenery, but spotting them is a whole different story.  Just because you can hear them, it doesn't make it any easier to find them!  For an insect that makes such a loud, high-pitched, buzzing noise, they're actually pretty difficult to find in their natural habitats because they would usually be very well camouflaged.  The few times we do see them and get a good look is usually because they got a bit lost in the urban environment.  And that's when photo opportunities arise!

And then, there have also been times when these photo opportunities were there but I did not have a camera on hand.  Rats!

The National Geographic (http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/bugs/cicada/) has the following description for this insect:  Cicadas are members of the order Homoptera and are physically distinguished by their stout bodies, broad heads, clear-membrane wings, and large compound eyes. 

Anyway,  in the last few years, I have managed to get only three good photos of cicadas; two of which were in an urban setting.  Three photos for three different species.  It is easy to see how these cicadas could easily hide away on trees and plants to avoid predation.

 

This jade green Cicada is quite large, its total length is around 8-9 cm.  (I'm guessing Dundubia vaginata.)  Found it in the stairwell in a building in the concrete jungle.  Am certainly glad I had decided to walk several floors down the stairs rather than take the elevator.

This brownish-gray Cicada is quite well camouflaged against the tree bark.  Spotted it because I saw an object fly across overhead and landed smack on the tree.  Even then, it took me a while to find it and even longer to get the camera focused!  I am guessing its total length to be between 6-8 cm.

This black Cicada was found on the ground on its back and was struggling to get itself upright.  So I gave it my index finger to cling on to help it up and took the chance to snap photos of it.  It eventually flew away after a short rest.  Its total length is approximately 7 cm.

 And here are the cicada exoskeletons that have been left behind after the cicada nymphs emerge from the ground for their transformation to begin their adult life.  

So..... the male cicadas would now be ready to start singing and wait for the female cicadas to follow his song and find him!

Better sing it sweet!

A New Record for Peninsular Malaysia

Further to my post last November on specimens that were handed to Ian Choong, it has been confirmed last month by Ian that one of the specimens is that of a damselfly that is a new record for Peninsular Malaysia - the Paracercion calamorum dyeri (Fraser, 1919).

A big thanks to Ian and Robin for this.

Unfortunately, I do not have a good photo of the damselfly or of the specimen and can't post a photo here.  However, to get an idea of what it looks like, it is very similar to the tiny Aciagrion species of damselflies and it would actually be quite difficult to tell the difference between the two species with just the naked eye.  Check out this website to see what this damselfy looks like:  http://www.asia-dragonfly.net/globalResults.php?Species=5150&offset=0

Anyway, it certainly confirms my confusion about some of the species sometimes and the question that I've been asking whenever I have difficulties identifying a particular species due to certain minor features that differ even slightly when compared to what it should be based on details in the 'Pocket Guide for Dragonflies of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore' by A.G. Orr.

And the question that is always on my mind is this:  could some of the species found in Langkawi be similar to those recorded for Thailand but have not been found in other parts of Peninsular Malaysia except here?  Perhaps migrants from Thailand?

A good maybe?

Perhaps the same can be said of some damselfly species that I have often come across but have not been able to actually really confirm correctly for this same reason?  Probably the specimen of the Idionyx species that had slightly different appendages compared to those shown in Pocket Guide is another case in point?  Simply because it is not in the Pocket Guide and would actually be new records for Peninsular Malaysia?

Another maybe?

And because of the close proximity to Thailand, maybe there are more 'siblings' and 'cousins' living here in Langkawi that we are not aware of?


I'd like to think so.....

Hopefully all these questions will be answered in due course.
 

Odonata Checklist - Langkawi

UPDATED ON: 20 March 2013




ODONATA OF LANGKAWI ISLAND

ZYGOPTERA

Family Calopterygidae
Echo modesta (Laidlaw, 1902)
Neurobasis chinensis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Vestalis gracilis (Rambur, 1842)
 
Family Chlorocyphidae 
Heliocypha biforata (Selys, 1859)
Libellago lineata (Burmeister, 1839)


Family Lestidae
Lestes praemorsus decipiens (Kirby, 1893)
Platylestes heterostylus (Lieftinck, 1932)

Family Coenagrionidae  
Aciagrion borneense (Ris, 1911)
Aciagrion hisopa (Selys, 1876)
Agriocnemis femina (Brauer, 1868)
Argiocnemis rubescens rubeola (Selys, 1877)
Ceriagrion auranticum  (Fraser, 1922) 
Ceriagrion calamineum  (Lieftinck, 1951)
Ceriagrion cerinorubellum (Brauer, 1865)
Ischnura senegalensis (Rambur, 1842)
Paracercion calamorum dyeri (Fraser, 1919)
Pseudagrion australasiae (Selys, 1876)
Pseudagrion microcephalum (Rambur, 1842)

Family Platycnemididae
Copera ciliata (Selys, 1863) 
Copera marginipes (Rambur, 1842)
Copera vittata (Selys, 1863)

Family Protoneuridae
Prodasineura humeralis (Selys, 1860)
Prodasineura laidlawii (Forster, 1907)


ANISOPTERA


Gomphidae
Gomphidia maclachlani (Selys, 1873)
Ictinogomphus decoratus melaenops (Selys, 1858)
Paragomphus capricornis (Forster, 1914)

Family Aeshnidae
Anax guttatus (Burmeister, 1839)

Family Corduliidae
Macromidia genialis (Laidlaw, 1923)


Family Libellulidae
Acisoma parnorpoides (Rambur, 1842)
Aethriamanta brevipennis (Rambur, 1842)
Aethriamanta gracilis (Brauer, 1878)
Brachydiplax chalybea (Brauer, 1868)
Brachydiplax farinosa (Kruger, 1902)
Brachythemis contaminata (Fabricius, 1793)
Cratilla lineata (Brauer, 1878)
Cratilla metallica (Brauer, 1878)
Crocothemis servilia (Drury, 1770)
Diplacodes nebulosa (Fabricius, 1793)
Diplacodes trivialis (Rambur, 1842)
Hydrobasileus croceus (Brauer, 1867)
Indothemis limbata (Selys, 1891) 
Lyriothemis biappendiculata (Selys, 1878)
Neurothemis fluctuans (Fabricius, 1793)
Neurothemis fulvia (Drury, 1773)
Onychothemis testacea (Laidlaw, 1902)
Orthethrum chrysis (Selys, 1891)
Orthethrum glaucum (Brauer, 1865)
Orthethrum sabina (Drury, 1770)
Orthethrum testaceum (Burmeister, 1839)
Pantala flavescens (Fabricius, 1798)
Potamarcha congener (Rambur, 1842)
Rhodothemis rufa (Rambur, 1842)
Rhyothemis obsolescens (Kirby, 1889)
Rhyothemis phyllis (Sulzer, 1776)
Rhyothemis triangularis (Kirby, 1889)
Tholymis tillarga (Fabricius, 1798)
Tramea transmarina euryale (Selys, 1878)
Trithemis aurora (Burmeister, 1839) 
Trithemis festiva (Rambur, 1842) 
Trithemis pallidinervis (Kirby, 1889)
Tyriobapta torrida (Kirby, 1889)
Urothemis signata insignata (Selys, 1872)
Zygonyx iris malayana (Rambur, 1842)

Living Life!

Hard to believe it is way past mid-March of 2013.  How time flies!

But I guess time always seem to really fly especially when you're having a great time. 

Been indulging in a bit of everything to keep balanced.  

Several days a week, I would be out there in the mangroves.  

In beautiful places, feasting my eyes on the scenery.

Feeling the serenity of being one with nature.

And feeling totally at peace.....

Loving it all and loving life!

A Little Trail Revisited

It has certainly been quite a while since I last went walking on a trail, spend a few hours feasting my eyes on dragonflies, butterflies, insects, etc., and getting myself immersed in nature!  

Today, the opportunity for that came about.

Just the usual common species encountered but it was great to have a little rendezvous with some of my favourite subjects out there.   So, here's a little bit of everything to keep the balance!

Heliocypha biforata

 

Trithemis festiva

Vestalis sp.

Another Vestalis sp.

Robber Fly

   

A close up of the Robber fly

Pantala flavescens

Orthetrum sabina

Tholymis tillarga

 A dragonfly exuvia

A fresh Cicada exoskeleton.  

There were lots of these everywhere!

Sun Skink

The black Hospitalitermes Termites!

 

The Fluffy Tit 

And could this be the The Knight (Lebadea Martha)? 

One of the species of grasshoppers, but which is this?

Water Skater

Two Tiny Owls

Saw the tiny Oriental Scops Owl for the first time several years ago while kayaking in the mangroves and my guests, who are keen birders, spotted them first!  I was busy looking around for vipers then and had totally missed it!

Anyway, since then, each year, I look forward to finding these owls in the mangroves during the migratory season when they would be here.  Not always lucky in spotting them though.

Finally chanced upon a pair of these owls in the mangroves today.....

I had my guests wait their turn to get a look at these owls one kayak at a time and quietly taking photos.  Hope we did not disturb them too much.

The Oriental Scops Owl, Otus Sunia, measures just 19cm from tip to tip.  It tends to remain silent so as not to be spotted.  As you can see, with its colour and markings, it is actually quite well-camouflaged against the mangrove trees in the backdrop.  If you weren't looking, you would not have been aware of their presence at all while you kayak pass.

Also spotted today was a Brown-winged Kingfisher, calling out loudly as it flew pass in our direction and made its way to perch on a mangrove tree nearby, then it continued its loud calls for all to hear after that so we could get a good look at it.  Later, there was a Collared Kingfisher who sort of posed for us for a bit.

A great day indeed for birding enthusiasts!

 

Specimens

Finally met up with one of the top odonatologists of Malaysia, the dragonflyman, Ian Choong, himself.  

It was a short meeting but getting to meet an odonatologist and talk about dragonfly species and behaviour and our quest for dragonflies is something I don't get to do everyday.  And I have been looking forward to meeting Ian for quite a long time, so I really enjoyed the hour chatting with him.

Also, I was on a mission.

Last year, I'd met up with Robin Ngiam, the odonatologist from Singapore, and Wei Ling, and we went exploring.  There were several species that are not found in Singapore but can be found here and Robin had a list of species which he'd like to look at.  So we had great day out dragonfly hunting.  Anyway, during their short holiday here, two specimens were collected.  And since then, these specimens have sat in a container in my freezer.  

Yes, like a dragonfly morgue of some sort.

Finally, these specimens have been handed to Ian so that he can take a really good look at them and determine its correct species.

I had a great sigh of relief when Ian checked both specimens and they were still in good condition. 

Whew!

Perhaps we'll have another species to add to the checklist for Langkawi..... or maybe even two?

C O M P O S T I N G..... continued.....

I'm still keeping an eye on that pot of Japanese Bamboo......

Simply because it fascinates me!

Here's a photo taken in early June when I first noticed the new sprout that had emerged from the soil.

It caught my attention as this new sprout was so much thicker compared to the other existing stems.

 How tall did it grow?

Five months later, this giant new sprout is now almost touching the roof, has finally decided its reached a dizzying enough height and has started sprouting leaves.

 Anyway, that gave me the idea to pick a few leaves from various stems for comparison.

The smallest leaf on the left was plucked from a much older stem that's several years old.  

After I'd started composting, the stems grew thicker and so did the leaves.
The largest leaf on the right is from a stem that's at least a year old now.

There are more new sprouts emerging in the pot.....

It's difficult to understand why people are still not composting their vegetable scraps?

It's nourishing the plants in your garden and helps reduce the amount of trash that goes to the landfill.

Take a look at my neighbour's neglected Japanese Bamboo plants.....

 See the difference?

I hope you will start composting today!

C O M P O S T I N G

I have been composting almost all of my vegetable scraps for quite a few years now.  

And have been even more diligent with it since adding more potted plants to my expanding patio garden.

Apart from the really lush Bird's Nest Ferns and Crinum Lilies, one of the other plants that have shown amazing growth spurts is this Japanese Bamboo or Dracaena surculosa punctulata. 

Looking at the leafy plant in the above picture, if you follow the line of the support pole to the top, you can vaguely see the bamboo-like cane that's shot right up to the roof.  

I've been wondering..... how much taller is this going to grow to?

And recently, I've also noticed a few new spears sprouting out from the soil.  

Am curious if those will be as tall?

I guess I'll find out soon enough!

Meantime, the task of composting all the vegetable scraps continue in earnest.  

After all, it's a great way to reduce the amount of trash you chuck out into the bins and it doesn't take much effort at all.

The only thing you need to do is put aside all the vegetable scraps when you are preparing meals.  And I mean garlic skins, onion skins, carrot peels, broccoli stems, vegetable stems..... the list is endless!
Even better, save these vegetable scraps for making vegetable broth before you chuck them into the compost!

These plants are certainly loving all the food they're getting!

Happy gardening.

Kilim Mangrove Jetty

So much for going to all that trouble to paint the yellow line of demarkation so that vehicles are not parked at the "drop off" zone in the hope that it will ease congestion in the parking area at the Kilim Mangrove Jetty.  The regular taxi drivers who frequently bring their passengers here have continued to double park their vehicles along the perimeter of the yellow line and double parking behind other cars as well.

This practice has caused even more congestion on busy days, making the already limited space even smaller, and leaving just a narrow strip for cars to manoeuvre when trying to get out from the parking area.

Another example of smart thinking by some people. 

 

Obviously, there is a blatant disregard for road and traffic rules and regulations in this paradise island of Langkawi, the Jewel of Kedah.  And, as long as there is no enforcement and no consequences for breaking rules, they will continue to be broken.  

Isn't that human nature?

Paradise, right?